Genesis 49:29-50:26

Here my notes from my sermon on Genesis 49:29-50:26

Introduction/Review

Joseph, through God’s providence, rose to second in command in all of Egypt. He was able to secure Egypt’s future. He was able to increase Pharaoh’s control over the residents of Egypt. More importantly, Joseph was able to secure salvation for his family in the face of a great and severe famine.

Joseph’s family also came together. The brothers who had desired to get rid of their brother now have been reconciled to Joseph, as he has no desire to avenge their crime. His tears over his brothers express from his heart his desire to be one with them again.

Last week we saw, with the family reunited, Jacob pronounced his departing words to his sons.

Not surprisingly, Jacob gave the fullest blessings to Joseph and Judah. And to the sons who caused him the most grief, namely Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, Jacob gave less than desirous words. But these final words had more meaning than just to the sons themselves. Jacob’s words had prophetic significance for the descendants and tribes which would come forth from the sons.

As a preview of where we are going tonight, first we will read the remaining contents of Genesis. Then I will point out important observations from this section. Finally we will consider Genesis as a whole, hitting the highlights, and I will close by pointing out some observations to consider as one moves into the book of Exodus.

Read Genesis 49:29-50:26

Earlier Jacob made his son, Joseph, swear that he would take his body back to Canaan to be buried. And just after he gives his blessings to his sons, he implores them to take him back to Canaan for burial.

Jacob wanted to be gathered to his family. Quite literally, in those days when one was buried in the same tomb, eventually when the flesh completely deteriorated, ones bones would be put with the remaining bones of past family members.

Leah, the forgotten wife of Jacob

In this section of Genesis 49:28-33 what catches my attention is the wife whom Jacob was buried with in the family tomb. Throughout the Genesis narrative Jacob’s love is Rachel. This is the woman whom Jacob worked 14 years to marry. His marriage to Leah was consummated through treachery as Jacob did not realize he had married Leah until after his sexual consummation had already taken place. And although Zilpah and Bilhah were technically not on the same level in Jacob’s eyes as Leah and Rachel, it could be argued that they too were his wives in reality.

Jacob is buried with Leah. The irony here should not escape us. When we recall the struggle Leah and Rachel endured being married to the same man, two things jump out at us. Rachel had Jacob’s love, but she had a great struggle having children. Leah was particularly fertile, as she bore six children to Jacob, but she never had Jacob’s love.

Perhaps in death Leah received some of the honor she should have received in life. Earlier in Genesis, God made the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. He made Eve from Adam’s rib and declared, “therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Gen 3:24).”

Leah never really experienced the holding fast part of the command. Although Jacob never divorced her, he only held to her loosely. Leah was a victim of the wills of two men. She was abused by her father, Laban, as he orchestrated and commanded Leah to deceive Jacob. Jacob, after becoming the husband of Leah still chose to marry her sister.

God’s design in marriage is for one man and one woman coming together in covenant of marriage for a lifetime. Although Jacob did not love Leah at all and although he did not want her as a wife, Leah was his true wife.

In life, Leah was far from the side of Jacob, but God saw that they were united forever in death in a way they had not been in life. Additionally in a way not known before her death, God chose the line of Judah, her son, as the line through which Jesus Christ was born.

God’s Promises Continue to be Fulfilled

As we have stated many times through this studies that a dominant theme running through the book is promises. Many of these promises find fulfillment in Genesis, others find fulfillment in both the OT and NT. The issue of promises and fulfillment is God’s credibility. God promises many things to this family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. What we find throughout Genesis and the rest of Scripture is God’s fulfilling of those promises.

In Genesis 49:33 we are told of the death of Jacob after he blesses his children and instructs them about his wish for burial in Canaan. When he dies, Joseph is there by his side and he begins to weep over his father. This event is another example of God’s faithfulness concerning his words.

When Jacob learned that Joseph was alive and the family began its journey to Egypt, God came to him in visions at night and promised to Jacob that his beloved son Joseph would close his eyes (Gen 46:4). This specifically addresses Jacob’s death and Joseph’s presence there. This fulfillment and the host of other kept promises of God give us confidence and assurity in God’s words and his ability to keep them.

This is why I believe that Jesus will come back again like he promised. This is why I believe in promises like Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).” This is why I believe in the promise found in Lamentations 3:22-23 which says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”

The Regal Burial of Jacob

From the beginning, God promised to bless Jacob. Throughout the narrative of Jacob, God has been faithful to the patriarch in his life. Now in death, God continues to bless him. Jacob in essence gets a burial reserved only for Kings and Pharaohs.

Not only does Pharaoh permit Joseph to return to Canaan to bury his father, but servants of Pharaoh went with Joseph, and elders of the land of Egypt journeyed to Canaan for the funeral. Pharaoh provided chariots and horsemen for the journey. The picture is one of complete solidarity.

Although Jacob was worried that he would go down to Sheol in disappointment and pain, he was reunited with his long lost son. He even was part of the lives of his grandchildren. He endured through a great famine in the comfort of Egypt’s wealth. And when he died he was gathered to his people in the land of promise with royalty and regalia.

Final Reconciliation & the Sovereignty of God

After the death of their father, the 10 brothers responsible for selling Joseph into slavery begin to fear that Joseph would take revenge out on them now that their father is dead. I suppose the same thought would have crossed my own mind as well if I had been one of the brothers. The human race has proved since the time of Adam and Eve how inept we are at forgiveness and putting things behind us. Joseph has already proved himself to be a very calculating person with his success running Egypt and his series of tests to confirm the honesty of his brothers.

But what we see repeatedly through this narrative is the integrity and godliness of Joseph. We cannot be sure whether Jacob really wrote this letter or whether it was just from the brothers, but I lean towards the latter.

Nevertheless, Joseph continues to demonstrate what forgiveness, reconciliation, and trusting in God truly looks like. Joseph responds first by weeping. Then he reassures them that he has no desire to take vengeance because vengeance belongs to God. He continues to pledge his love and support for his brothers and their entire families. And finally, Joseph continues to look at the good God did through their sin. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they were today (Gen 50:20).”

The book ends with the death of Joseph, but the focus turns back to the promise of Jacob’s sons inheriting the land of Canaan. In other words, the book ends with Joseph urging his people to remember God’s promise of the land precisely because God is faithful.

The Israelites, as they will be known as in the future, will have a land of their own. They will not live in Egypt forever. And naturally, Joseph also requests that his body be buried in Canaan when his family returns to the land of promise.

Questions & Comments

Now that we have spent nearly a year of sermons going verse by verse through the book of Genesis,

1. What have you learned about Genesis?
2. What have you learned about God?
3. How does Genesis speak directly to your life?
4. What questions remain unanswered for you concerning Genesis?
5. How does Genesis detail the beginning of God’s redemption?
6. How is Genesis important for our understanding of sin, marriage, our purpose in life?

Do any of you want to share some comments about anything related to this series?

Looking forward

We look forward by recalling the promises God gave to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and what will become Israel.

Gene 15:13 (NASU) [God] said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.

Their sojourn in Egypt leads to the fulfillment of their enslavement in a land that is not their own.

To Abraham

Gene 22:18 (NASU) "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

To Isaac

Gene 26:4 (NASU) "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;

To Jacob

Gene 28:14 (NASU) "Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

These promises will span the entire scope of the entire Old and New Testaments. These promises find fulfillment in Jesus’ life death and resurrection by which men from every nation, tribe, tongue, and people can become a descendant of Abraham and participate in God’s blessing and redemption of the earth.

Genesis/Exodus Typology

a. Joseph’s dreams caused his to go down to Egypt.
b. In Egypt, Jacob’s descendants will have to struggle with a King (Pharaoh).
c. An infant is born from Jacob’s descendants, whom the King tried to kill.
d. This infant (Moses) is used by God to deliver his people.

NT Gospel Fulfillment

a. Joseph (husband of Mary) has a dream which causes him to go to Egypt.
b. Joseph’s immediate struggle is with a King (Herod). But his people are in a more penultimate struggle with slavery to sin.
c. The King (Herod) tries to kill the infant.
d. This infant (Jesus) is used by God to deliver his people.

The Baptist Faith & Message Article XII: Education

Here are my notes from a lesson on the BF&M's article on Education.

XII. Education

Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ's people.

In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.

Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11; 15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17.

Introduction

When it comes to the issue of education, usually education of any kind, people get somewhat divisive. There are some who despise education for one reason: they do not have much. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, there are those with much education who despise those people who have little or none. I despise both of the former positions.

Education, undeniably, is a pursuit that every Christian should affirm because Holy Scripture commands us. The danger is not education itself, but how we educate, what sources we use, the goals we identify and pursue, and the manner in which we pursue education.

There are extremes both on the side of liberalism and conservatism. For example, there is a type of liberal education which will teach of the need to abandon the Bible as a source of authority in our lives. It will conclude that the Bible is merely a religious book much like those of other peoples. It will conclude that the Bible is filled with mythical elements that should be rejected as historical and factual.

On the other hand, there is a type of conservative education which will encourage all teaching outside what the Bible proclaims to be unnecessary or worse unprofitable and worldly.

We should avoid both these extremes. Instead we should affirm all types of education which glorify God and bless others.

Holy Scripture

We should affirm Holy Scripture as God’s unshakable words. It should be our primary source for understanding in every topic it addresses. It alone do we recognize as being infallible, uniquely authoritative, and inerrant. We recognize that there is no substitute for the Bible.

As we are educated through divine revelation we will learn that we are created in God’s image. We have similar capabilities as our Creator, not in the sense that we can perform all that God can perform, but we have been made in such a way to function like him.

Creativity

God has given us both a mind and a conscience to be engaged to glorify him and bless others. And one of the ways we are like God in his image is our ability and desire to be creative like our Creative God. Now we acknowledge that we cannot create as God creates as he makes the physical universe “ex nihilo,” out of nothing. But we can use the physical properties God has made available to us.

Our ability to create, in a fallen world, can be used for good or evil. It can used to glorify God, but it can used to profane his name. For example if we learn how to cut wood, lay cement, install windows, lay brick, electrically wire a structure, then we can build a house. This type of education is used by institutions like Habitat for Humanity to house the economically challenged. It is used by those who have built all the houses we live in and are grateful.

Now the Bible does not educate one how to build a physical house. So if one was going to learn this trade which surely every one of us is thankful for, one would pursue it through means outside the Bible.

Again education of many types is a good thing so long as we use the education to glorify God and for blessing.

This truth is what the statement in part affirms when it says the following:

1. “Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence.”

2. “In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage.”

Furthermore, we also affirm that when the Holy Spirit illumines and indwells an individual one is encouraged to pursue all avenues of education in order to build upon God’s Kingdom, to be used for the advance of the gospel, and better the lives of families and neighbors.

Christians should not be opposed to many of the advances we have made concerning education. I rarely hear of anyone who wants to return to the days of 19th century technologies. The question for Christians is not education itself but how the education and tools of education are used.

Christians should fully embrace the advance of education in diverse fields in part because the progress can better enable us to fulfill Christ’s commands.

Two examples of how education outside the Bible has better enabled us to fulfill God’s commands are:

“Make disciples of all nations”
1. Improvements in transportation—It used to take weeks and perhaps months of time in boats and on the backs of animals for missionaries of the gospel to get to certain people groups. Now through the educational advancements in transportation we can get to most places on the earth in one or two days.

“love your neighbor” 2. Improvements in agriculture—In order for past civilizations to endure through poor weather, famine, flood, etc…one needed dreams and dream interpreters (Joseph and Egypt) and traditions besides God’s good providence. Now in addition to God’s providence through educational advancements we can predict in advance severe weather. So if an early frost comes, we can take precautions to preserve young plants. We use irrigation when the rains are infrequent. We have insecticides that protect crops from bugs that would devour our food.

So can America help impoverished peoples and nations who are not beneficiaries of all the blessings we have received? Answer: Yes we can! And we do!

This is what our statement affirms when it says, “Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. "

Christian Education

To this point we have emphasized the importance of education in general. We have emphasized that we should embrace all forms of education that seeks to glorify God.

We also need to also stress the importance of a spiritual education. This education comes from two sources; it comes from the Holy Spirit and the Bible. If we are ever going to grow in Christlikeness and develop the inner desire to glorify God, then we must be educated by God through his word. We affirm that apart from Christian education one can never fully glorify God through his or her actions. All pursuits should be offered in faith for the purpose of glorifying God. So we say without qualification that if we only could have book to study, it would be the Bible.

An important part of the Great Commission in Matthew 28 is the command by Jesus, “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” The primary way we try to fulfill this command today is through systematic pulpit preaching and systematic Bible study.

The quickest way we can walk away from God is to believe that we can follow Jesus by ourselves. We decide we do not need the church. We decide we do not need spiritual leadership in our life. We decide we do not need any spiritual accountability in our life. Every believer needs to be present and active in ongoing spiritual education.

My fear when it comes to Christian education today is that many Christians in America only receive Christian education on Sunday mornings or in Sunday School. They do not get it through any other ministry in the local church because they do not attend any other ministry. Furthermore many never pick up their Bibles and read during the week.

And we wonder why we have so many problems in the church.

Meanwhile, we have so many Christians who fill their minds with hours and hours of systematic shows on TV which are not bad in and of themselves, but taken in to the great neglect of Christian education will greatly pervert their walk with God and the maturity.

Christians in times past took the lead in education

Christians in many generations took the lead in the progress of education. We saw advances in music, medicine, agriculture and many other fields down through the centuries. For example, many of the first colleges created in the US (Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth) were established by Christians. I believe if my memory is correct, Dartmouth was even instituted to help educate Native Americans.

Over the past two generations, we are having to reclaim this pursuit for the advance of education in part because Christians have abandoned many academic areas. Christians have retreated back into the walls of their church buildings espousing a backwards fundamentalism that says “we do not need anything but the Bible.”

Yes, we need the Bible because it is the special written revelation of God. It is the testimony of God’s work as he redeems the world. Yes, the Bible is indispensable. But we also need to embrace the advances that have been made in all fields of education that glorify God and embrace the creative spirit in which God designed us.

Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility

The final paragraph states, “In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.”

The main point of this last paragraph is this: Researchers need to be given degrees of freedom in their fields of study. However the freedom needs to be tempered and guided by the word of God.

For example, let us think about the stem cell debate going on in our country. Should we embrace stem cell research? Should there be freedom given to those who conduct studies, which have led and might continue to lead to medical treatments?

The answer is yes and no.

Should we embrace adult stem cell research and technologies which do not destroy human embryos, which have already led to medical breakthroughs? Yes we should. We should be for medical treatments which alleviate sickness and death.

However, should we embrace embryonic stem cell research which destroys human life in the process? No we should not because although we desire freedom in research, we also espouse academic responsibility and the word of God is our guide. Therefore, since it teaches us to respect human life in all its phases, we should not embrace this type of research.

Some Thoughts on the KJV and What It Means to Be a Man

This pastor manages to be both humorous and tragic with this four and a half minute segment of his sermon. But what is truly tragic is that he is not intentionally trying to be humorous. And what he thinks is tragic is...well you just need to watch the video.

The answer to this problem is some lessons on translation theory and proper exegesis training.

He managed to get one amen, and I agree with the statement he made to get the amen, but the text he used to describe what it means to be a man has absolutely nothing to do with what it means to be a man. Furthermore, he never talks about the text within its context. This will be a classic.

(HT: Steve McCoy)

Genesis 47:29-49:27

Here are my notes from a message on Genesis 47:29-49:27

Review

Through extraordinary events God enables Joseph who is sold into slavery by his own brothers, who ends up as an imprisoned slave in Egypt, to rise to second in command over Egypt, the mightiest nation on the Earth at that time.

Joseph's meteoric rise in power in Egypt was not however God’s reward to Joseph for his integrity and faithfulness. His rise in power was important for several reasons:

1. Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams ensured the salvation of Egypt through 7 years of great famine.

2. It placed Joseph in a position where he could ensure that his family would be delivered through the famine.

3. It led to the reconciliation of his family.

4. It led to the family of Jacob migrating to the best lands in Egypt where the family would begin to multiply, thus fulfilling God’s promise that from Abraham would become a nation.

5. It further leads to the fulfillment of God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would live in servitude in a foreign land for 400 years.

6. It leads to God’s mighty display of power over the gods of Egypt as he brings mighty Egypt to its knees.

7. Ultimately it is a small part of the overall plan to use one family to bless all the nations though Jesus Christ.

The family has been reunited, as Pharaoh invited the family of Jacob to dwell in Egypt during the famine.

We left off last week with Joseph accumulating for Pharaoh almost the entire wealth of all of Egypt, money, herds, lands, and a 1/5 of every harvest.

As we pick back up the narrative this evening, the focal point will be back on Jacob as he is about die. The important custom of a father blessing his offspring will be the focus.

Read Genesis 47:29-48:22

Joseph’s Oath & the Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh

Before Jacob begins to bless his children, he first enlists Joseph to take an oath to return his body to Canaan to be buried with his father and grandfather.

This must have been a soft reminder to Joseph that as significant as he had become within Egypt, Egypt was only a small episode in the plan of God for the descendants of Abraham. They ultimately belonged in Canaan. Victor Hamilton remarks, “Egypt is to Jacob and his family what the ark was to Noah—a temporary shelter from disaster on the outside.”

At a later time, when it was apparent that Jacob’s final days were upon him, Joseph came to him bringing his two sons with him. Jacob begins his blessing by speaking about the blessing God has been to him:

1. Fruitful —Genesis 47:27

2. Multiplication

3. Company of Peoples

4. Possession of Canaan

This was another reminder that their destiny although the first three were taking place was not in Egypt.

Next, Jacob does something completely unexpected. He makes Joseph’s two sons Manasseh and Ephraim his own. Although the reasons for Jacob’s actions here are not explained, perhaps his mention of Rachel gives us a clue. Rachel was by all accounts the one wife Jacob loved but she only was able to give Jacob two sons because she died at childbirth with Benjamin. Perhaps this is Jacob’s way of bringing in more descendants of Rachel into the family.

Additionally, V. Hamilton says, “by making Joseph’s sons Jacob’s, Jacob is elevating Joseph to the level of himself. That is, both men are now ancestral fathers of the tribes of Israel that will come from them.”

But the surprises do not end here. After Jacob is made aware of the two visitors at Joseph’s side, he sets out to bless them, but not in the traditional way. Joseph brings his children to Jacob and places them according to age. He places Manasseh the firstborn under his left hand facing Jacob’s right hand. He places Ephraim the younger under his own right hand opposite from Jacob’s left hand.

However in a surprise move, Jacob crosses his hands and puts the favored right hand upon Ephraim the younger. By his God and the angel that has watched over him, Jacob blesses the boys in two ways:

1. Their names were carried on in the same way as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s.

2. Their descendants would be numerous in the earth.

Joseph objects to Jacob’s reversal, but it stands just as his own stood even though he had deceived his father, Isaac.

Manasseh will become a people, but Ephraim will become a multitude of nations.

The Bible does not theologize why the second born so often took preeminence over the firstborn. From Cain, Ishmael, Esau, Reuben, and Zerah, now to Manasseh we have multiple examples of God passing over the firstborn and instead using younger sons.

Perhaps, this is a reminder to us that God’s ways are remarkably different than our own (Isa 55:8-9). God will not be confined to human standards and traditions. It foreshadows the foolishness of the gospel (1 Cor 1:23-25). Perhaps from Jacob’s perspective it could have been as simple that since he was the second born, he placed favor on the younger as he once was.

Read Genesis 49:1-27

The Blessing of the Twelve

Reuben (3-4)

Being the firstborn of Jacob, Reuben was destined for preeminence, however his sexual affair with Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant and his father’s concubine derailed Reuben destiny. So his blessing is not one at all.

Simeon & Levi (5-7)

Simeon and Levi are addressed together because their fates are linked when both men slaughtered the people of Shechem because one Shechemite raped their sister, Dinah. Because of their uncontrollable anger, Jacob distances himself from these sons and he does not give them a blessing.

Judah (8-12)

Along with Joseph, and not surprisingly, Judah receives a prominent blessing:

v11—binds his foal/donkey to a vine (who does that?) This shows how prosperous is. He washes his clothes in wine—wine is plentiful

v9—Judah is compared to a lion, a fierce animal—Judah will be strong

v8—Judah will rule over other peoples and even over his brothers

Zebulun (13)

Issachar (14-15)

Dan (16-17)

Plea for deliverance (18)

Gad(19)
Because of its location, this tribe would be at the forefront of war.

Asher (20)
Because of Asher’s location, it prospered in the area of food.

Naphtali (21)

Joseph (22-26)
Fruitful—v22
He has survived many attacks—v23-24
Upheld by God—v24
Abundantly blessed by God—vv25-26

Benjamin (27)
The tribe of Benjamin was known for its great military prowess.

Prophetic Blessings

These blessing have a prophetic element to them. That is, what Jacob predicts in the blessings or lack of blessings proves true for the future descendants of these brothers.

For example in 7b Jacob says of Simeon and Levi, “I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” Simeon future is subsumed in Judah and Levi gains no land as they become the tribe of priests.

Furthermore, Reuben who should have received the lion’s share of the blessing, ends up in obscurity, and Judah, who takes the lead to provide for the family takes the lion’s share and rules over the tribes in later years through King David who is from Judah.

Far in advance of knowing where each tribe would be located, Jacob makes predictions about Gad and Zebulun that prove true in the future

Any foreshadowing of Jesus in the Text?

Although many major commentaries do not note, the blessing of Judah surely contains imagery of Messianic truths.

Judah is referred to as a lion—In the book of Revelation, in chapter 5 a great angel asks who is worthy to open the scroll so that in essence God’s will can be accomplished. John thinks there is no one in all heaven or earth able to open it and begins to weep. However, he is encouraged and that the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David is worthy to open the book.

Jacob prophetically asks of the Judean Lion, “Who dares rouse him?” As powerful as Judah was in her heyday of David and Solomon’s reigns, this question ultimately fits Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords and King of kings. This fits with Philippians 2:10-11, “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Genesis 49:10 says of Judah, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet.” This reference points first to David’s rise as King over Israel and later to his descendants who reigned on the thrown over God’s people. God’s promise to David and his descendants was given in 2 Samuel 7:11-13 where God says:

2Sam 7:11 (NASU) even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you.

12 "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

However, the ultimate fulfillment of Jacob’s words in Genesis 49 to Judah point to the Messiah. The reason why the scepter will never depart from Judah is because the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ is Lord forevermore.

Lastly, Jacob says of Judah, “and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Generically speaking, Judah was powerful and peoples listened to her as a tribe like Judah’s brothers listened to him. The tribes even submitted to David, but not perfectly. In Jesus, this proclamation reaches its climax as his rule will include “the peoples.”

Conclusion

Genesis, a book in many respects about blessing, comes near to its close with the “family of God’s unique blessing” and its Patriarch announcing his blessings to his 12 (14 if you count Manasseh & Ephraim) children. Not only do these blessings contain prophetic details about the future tribes of Israel, but they also point to climactic figure in Scripture, Jesus Christ. They point us to the primary purpose of the patriarchal blessings, namely to bring redemption for his creation.

Are We Any Better?

John Piper on the Desiring God Blog draws together the similar atrocities of Al Qaida's recent bombings using unsuspecting women who had down syndrome with the epidemic rates of aborted babies who are diagnosed with down syndrome before birth in the US and England.

Franchising the Local Church

Over on Christianitytoday's Out of Ur blog a recent post has been added highlighting the trend to franchise local churches by using satellite campuses. One of two things usually occurs during this methodology.

First, the new plant or existing church seeking to become a part of a franchised network signs contracts obligating themselves to feed in the preaching from the lead pastor of whatever network they are joining. They do not use any local pastor for preaching. However the local church does have its own pastors who provide for various pastoral care ministries. They can have their own music, but when it comes to the preaching, they listen to a pastor from another location.

The second option is a little bit different. In this model, the new plant or existing church seeking to join the network contractually obligates itself under the rule of the pastors of the mother church. So it virtually becomes one church, several locations.

I find the trend troubling for several reasons.

1. It seems to say that only a few gifted individuals are qualified to preach.
2. It does not encourage younger men who are called to preach to have much of an opportunity if the pulpit can only be used by the lead pastor of the mother church.
3. Every church should have access to the ones who instructionally lead the local church, and this process negates this possibility.
4. The second form of this model seems Episcopal rather than congregational.
5. It discourages the development process whereby elders who can preach are trained and nurtured.

HT: Karisblog

Dr. Mohler Interview

Pastor Les Puryear has posted a recent interview he conducted with Dr. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Here are the 7 questions he asked to Mohler:

1. The past two presidents of the SBC have had certain emphases that distinguished their presidencies. Dr. Welch emphasized evangelism and Dr. Page has been emphasizing unity and praying for revival. What will be the main emphasis of your presidency?

2. In recent years there has been a resurgence of Reformed Theology in the SBC, mainly among young pastors. As a Reformed theologian, what do you think your election as the president of the SBC, if you are elected, will say about the impact of Reformed theology in the SBC?

3. In the SBC, 83% of our churches have an average attendance of less than 200 in Sunday morning worship, therefore the SBC is overwhelmingly a convention of small churches. What is your view of the role of the small church in the SBC?

4. Although we're a convention of small churches, it seems that the majority of SBC board and agency nominations seem to go to representatives of much larger churches. What do you propose to do to get more small church representation on our boards and agencies?

5. You were a member of the BFM2K committee that fashioned our confession of faith. Recently some have called for the BFM2K to be amended to address the issues of "tongues" and "alien immersion." What's your position on amending the confession of faith to address these or any other issues of theology?

6. What is your position on SBC boards and agencies developing doctrinal policy which goes beyond the agreed upon confession of faith?

7. Is there anything that I haven't asked you that you would like to say to the people of the SBC and to small church leaders as well?

Genesis Series

I have completed my 42nd sermon from the book of Genesis. It will nearly take a year to finish this series. It has truly been informative and edifying as I have learned much from my study and sermon preparation. Here are my notes from Genesis 45:16-47:26.

Review

The broken family of Jacob torn apart by favoritism, rivalry, and polygamy has found partial redemption through the most unlikely of circumstances.

God gives the favored son of Joseph dreams when interpreted predict a day when his entire family will bow down to him. Joseph’s sharing of this dream with his family coupled with the tension that already existed led his angry and jealous brothers to sell him into slavery.

Joseph ends up in the nation of Egypt in the care of Potiphar, the captain of the guard for Pharaoh. Despite the desperate plot that Joseph found himself in, separated from his family, in servitude, in a foreign country, God was still with him.

God blessed Joseph to the extent that Potiphar made him head of his household. Additionally, when Joseph was unjustly thrown into prison, God blessed him there too, and he was made overseer of the prisoners.

Threw providential circumstances, Joseph was bale to correctly interpret the dreams of two men who were extremely close to Pharaoh. Years later when Pharaoh himself had two dreams that could not be interpreted by the wise men of Egypt, Joseph was remembered and was brought before Pharaoh where he satisfactorily interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams.

Joseph says that Egypt will face 7 years of plenty and 7 years of great famine. He suggests that Egypt prepare in the first seven years to sustain the country in the second seven years. At his suggestion, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to second in command with the goal of preserving the nation.

The famine reaches Canaan where Joseph’s family resides. And his brothers come to purchase food for the family. Through a series of tests by Joseph, the brothers confess their sin towards Joseph, they demonstrate the health of Joseph’s blood brother Benjamin, and Judah demonstrates his own personal redemption when he offers to trade his life for Benjamin.

Last week, as we surveyed, the first half of chapter 45, we witnessed the partial reunification of the family of promise. We witnessed the reconciliation of a family were bitterly divided and full of jealousy. Now we have 12 brothers who are once again one; they are a family again.

The Invitation of Pharaoh (Genesis 45:16-28)

The healing process is only partially complete for Joseph has been reunited with his brothers including Benjamin, but he has yet to be reunited with his father, Jacob.

Pharaoh, who has been a hidden figure in this developing situation enters into the narrative again and commands Joseph’s family to return to Canaan taking abundant provisions for their entire family to make a pilgrimage back to Egypt and live in the healthiest part of the kingdom.

The Pharaoh’s generosity to the family of Jacob is further evidence of God’s fulfillment of his promises. God’s covenant to Abraham included the promise to bless those who bless him. This promise extends to each generation of the sons of promise. Pharaoh’s kindness to Joseph was rewarded by God’s salvation of Egypt through the severe famine. This generosity continues from Pharaoh to Joseph’s family as he invites them to live in his land.

The family returns to Canaan, and after some prompting, Jacob believes in the report that his long dead son is alive. The family makes preparations to move to Egypt.

God’s Promise & Jacob’s Family

The importance of God’s encounter with Jacob in a dream is significant for this reason. The land of Canaan is the land of promise. Canaan is the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His departure from the land of promise might be interpreted as a sign of faithlessness.

However, since God specifically told him to not be afraid to go into Egypt, this sojourn is deemed appropriate.

The author then proceeds to tell us about the vast number of family members who made the journey. The author emphasizes the number 70. Seventy was a Hebrew number which symbolized completeness.

Lamech (seventy times seven) Genesis 4

Days of mourning for Jacob (seventy) Genesis 50

70 nations descended from Noah Genesis 10

Technically speaking there were more than seventy people who were brought into Egypt. For example verse 7 says that all of his son’s daughters came, but none are listed. Additionally in verse 5 it says that his sons’ wives came, but they are not listed. His servants are not listed either. It seems the only ones counted as descendants are sons, grandsons, one daughter, and one granddaughter. A further evidence that the number seventy is more symbolic than technical is that Joseph’s two sons are counted as part of the seventy, but they never came from Canaan. They were born and raised entirely in Egypt.

The main idea expressed here is his entire family was spared and saved in Egypt. Furthermore, the number seventy expresses the idea that the family of promise was rapidly growing as God had said it would. God’s promises do not always come to pass in the timing we think it should, nevertheless they do not fail and always come to pass.

Joseph and Jacob reunite (Genesis 46:28-30)

The family is one again

Joseph’s instructions (Genesis 46:31-47:12)

Joseph gives a crash course to his family on proper conduct before Pharaoh so that all may go well with them. The family passes test.

Joseph secures all Egypt’s Gold and Land for Pharaoh (Genesis 47:13-26)

The famine was so severe the people of Egypt sold everything to Pharaoh so that they might survive.

Important Phrases, Observations, & Applications:

1. Genesis 45:26, “And they told him, “Joseph is alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt. And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them.”

There are so many happenings in this large narrative that remind us of the story of Jesus.

Turn with me to Luke 24:1-12

A son was dead, but now he is alive. Indeed it was hard to believe in both situations. Joseph is Lord of Egypt. Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.

Joseph was “dead”, but was raised by God to bring deliverance and salvation to Egypt and the family of promise. Joseph was used by God to bring about family reconciliation even through sins and trials.

Likewise Jesus was literally dead, but was raised by God from the dead. In his resurrection, Jesus was declared the Son of God in power (Roman 1:4). Jesus was used by God to bring deliverance and salvation to the entire world. His work set in motion and laid the foundation (Matt 21:42; Acts 4:11) for the redemption of the cursed earth, and forgiveness of sins to all who will believe in his name.

Through Jesus, God brings reconciliation between the families of the earth and God and between the peoples of the earth.

2. Genesis 46:3-4, “The he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt…”

God’s presence brought greater confidence for Jacob as he sojourned in a foreign land that God would continue to work to fulfill all his covenant promises.

The same is true for all God’s covenant partners, especially to those who are covenanted with him through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus gave us similar words in Matthew 28:20, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” So with the Hebrews author we can say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me (Heb. 13:6)?”

We can with certainty cling to hope in Jesus Christ no matter what context of life we may find ourselves in. God’s words never fail. Jesus said, “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Matt 24:35).” “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

3. Genesis 46:34, “you shall say, your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers, in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

The power that Pharaoh accumulates and the utter distaste the Egyptians normally hold to the Hebrews who are pastoral shepherds foreshadows the future hostility the family of Jacob will face in Egypt.

When the current Pharaoh dies and the famine is history, a new Pharaoh will turn on the Israelites. God’s abundant blessings to turn a family of seventy into a nation of thousands leads to their freedom being turned into slavery, which in turn would to the great display of the mighty hand of God in power over the Egyptians in the Exodus.

BF&M: Evangelism and Missions

Here are my notes on a recent exposition of article 11 of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.

It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

Great Commission Churches

Historically, the great cause around which Southern Baptists have cooperated and united together are Evangelism and Missions. In fact the Southern Baptist Convention itself was organized in part for the purpose of sending out missionaries.

Southern Baptists have rightly identified evangelism and missions as part of the central tasks of the local church. We believe the Great Commission command to make disciples goes to the very core of what it means to follow Jesus. As Jesus made disciples, so too does Jesus command us to follow in his steps and make disciples as well. And discipleship does not happen apart from evangelism.

Evangelism

Evangelism is a word that means to proclaim the good news concerning the work of God through Jesus Christ. Evangelism is a word transliterated into the English language from the Greek language much like Baptism. Euaggelion (the gospel, good news) and euaggelizw (to proclaim the gospel or good news) were terms often used by the gospel writers to explain the ministry of Jesus. Jesus came to preach and proclaim the goods news of the Kingdom of God. God ushers in his reign and rule through Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, forgiveness of sins is offered and reconciliation with God is attainable.

The first line of Article 11, in the BF&M states, “It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations.” Southern Baptists affirm the necessity of every believer to participate in the work of spreading the goods news about Jesus Christ.

The responsibility of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is not only for pastors, good communicators, evangelists, or deacons. The command to share the good news about Jesus Christ is given to every follower of our Lord.

Often times we seem to make evangelism much harder than it really is, however evangelism is the proclamation of a handful of truths to sinners.

Mark Dever writes concerning what evangelism is not:

Evangelism is not an imposition of our ideas upon others. It is not merely personal testimony. It is not merely social action. It may not involve apologetics, and it is not the same thing as the results of evangelism. Evangelism is telling the wonderful truth about God, the great news about Jesus Christ. When we understand this, then obedience to the call to evangelize can become certain and joyful. Understanding this increases evangelism as it moves from being a guilt-driven burden to a joyful privilege.

Evangelism is not merely our involvement in good deeds. Social action is surely a part of obedience to Christ, but apart from the proclamation that in Jesus Christ sinners can be forgiven of sins and find peace with God, it cannot be categorized as evangelism.

Testimonials, which are wonderful and common in Southern Baptist life, can even fall short of evangelism if they do not include the call for sinners to believe in Jesus Christ and to repent of their sins.

Evangelism becomes more of a privilege for us rather than mere duty when we understand that defending the faith or answering every critic’s questions or objections about our faith is not necessary for evangelism to be accomplished. As Dever again correctly points out, “We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all.”

One result arising from our own conversions is our growing love for others. As 1 John 4:20 emphasizes, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” Thus the BF&M article states concerning evangelism, “The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others.” If we cannot love our brothers and neighbors, then the love of Jesus is not within us.

Let us look at the next sentence in the article. It reads, “Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ.”

One cannot faithfully carry out the task of making disciples and proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus Christ without first having been born again from above by the Spirit. Apart from the life giving Spirit, we remain in the bondage to our sins and we remain unconcerned for the mission of God to redeem the lost world.

Additionally, evangelism and missions is not a periphery issue to Jesus. Both go to the core of why Jesus came. It is through the evangelistic proclamation of the good news concerning Jesus that men and women gain entrance into God’s unshakable Kingdom. And it is through mission activity that the world is partially redeemed. Mission activity also brings glory our Father in heaven and leads to his glorification by his creation (Matt 5:16). Through faithful mission activities, men and women are drawn to the love of Christ as often it provides the context by which Christians gain a hearing with unbelievers.

Here I am defining evangelism and missions differently. Evangelism is the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Missions is any Christian activity done with the aim to glorify God and participate in redeeming this fallen world and making right of any wrong.

Mission activity should always try to include evangelism, however mission activity can often be the bridge by which we get the chance to evangelize, but we must be patient and refrain from turning people off to the gospel by being overly pushy.

Mission activity includes (not exhaustive) the following:

--NAMB emergency aid relief in major crises.
--Building projects
--Donations of food, water, clothes to those deprived of basic needs.
--Payment of bills which cannot be paid
--Cleaning projects in our communities
--Medical relief for the sick

The objects of evangelism and missions are the entire world population. As the Article states, “The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations.” God’s desire is to see every man, woman, and child repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (1 Tim 2:3-4). The gospel of Jesus Christ is a universal message. It is intended to draw men, women, and children from every tribe, tongue, and people.

The message is universal because there is only one exclusive savior for mankind (1 Cor 15:22).

It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

The drive to evangelize must be one in which we are consistent. The need of lost sinners to find Jesus is of the utmost concern. It should be central to our personal lives, the life of our local church. It is the central task to which Jesus called us.

But our lives should not only consist of the gospel proclamation. We should also undergird our gospel witness with a faithful and holy lifestyle so not to compromise the integrity of our message. Hypocrisy is one of the chief obstacles for sinners when viewing our message and weighing its worth. We must strive to live a life in harmony with the gospel and in harmony with the life of Jesus Christ. Our lives should be full of both love and truth, not just one or the other.

While our lives cannot express the gospel completely, words are needed, nevertheless the entirety of our witness can have positive or negative effects upon those whom we are trying to reach.

Lastly, the methods we use in order to reach men and women with the gospel of Jesus Christ need to be commensurate with the spirit and teaching found in Scripture. In other words, we are not free to use any method in order to reach people for Christ. We do not believe that the ends justify the means. We believe the entire pursuit of seeing men and women come to saving faith in Jesus must be god-honoring.

For example some churches entice youth to come to events by promising to give out playstations and large sums of money in order that they get kids to come and then they tell them the gospel.

The question we always should ask is: Are our methods revealing to others the true power in the Spirit of God and his ability to change hearts or are we confident that our tactics will reap success?

Conclusion/Questions

How is LRBC doing with evangelism?
How is LRBC doing in Missions?
How can we get better?
How can we fix our problems?

Dr. Albert Mohler for SBC President

The Southern Baptist Texan is reporting that Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas will nominate Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, for President at the 2008 Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis in June.

If elected, Mohler would become only the fourth active Seminary President to serve simultaneously as Convention President and Seminary President according to the article, joining Paige Patterson, W. W. Hamilton, and L. R. Scarborough.

It will be interesting to see how it unfolds given that Mohler is a confessed Calvinist. However, I believe with all the negativity (mostly undue) surrounding Calvinism in Southern Baptist life, I believe Dr. Mohler is one Calvinist among a few who is electable.

There are many who believe it will be difficult for him to win given his theology. However remember that Dr. Mark Dever, in Greensboro 06, was only narrowly defeated by Jackson for one of the Vice President positions. And Mohler is significantly more well known than Dever.

Nevertheless, I am confident that whoever is elected President whether it is Dr. Mohler or not will be very capable of providing the necessary leadership the SBC needs at this hour. This is my prayer, anyway.

Indelible Grace

I remember the first time I was introduced to the music of Indelible Grace. I was a student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and was taking a class called the Worshipping Church led by Chip Stam. He played a few songs by the group. In particular, I remember Poor Sinner Dejected by Fear from their album titled Pilgrim Days.

The song had an immediate impact. The lyrics were theologically rich and compelling. Verse 2 says:

Come just as thou art, with thy woe. Fall down at the feet of the
Lamb. He will not, he cannot say, go, but surely will take out thy
stain. A fountain is opened for sin, and thousands its virtues have
proved. He’ll take thee and plunge thee therein, and wash thee from filth in his blood.

I knew I had to investigate more of this music by Indelible Grace. What I found was a group of talented artists, talented singers, talented musicians, and talented authors who have collaborated in many projects with the goal of making old hymns more assessable for a new generation.

The goal of the musicians who put out the Indelible CD’s is to set theologically rich old hymns to new music hoping that the hymns will be reclaimed by a generation who have in many respects neglected old treasures.

This fall, Indelible Grace released its 6th album (counting Your King Has Come), titled Wake Thy Slumbering Children, and it is a success along with the previous albums. My current favorites on the latest release are: O, Help My Unbelief, Abide in Me, Beneath the Cross of Jesus, Give Reviving, and All Must Be Well.

Many of the albums have hymns which you have heard and sung before, provided you have spent some seasons in a local church that still uses the hymns. For example, on Indelible Grace I you find songs like And Can It Be and I Need Thee Every Hour, and on the album Pilgrim Days you find How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds and On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand. But you will also find hymns that you have never heard before like Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul and Sometimes A Light Surprises.

The familiarity of the hymns will surely be conditioned upon your denominational background, my own is a mixture of Methodist and Baptist. I find that many of the recorded hymns by Indelible Grace are hymns still present in the Baptist Hymnal, but are typically the songs not sung anymore in Baptist Churches, even the traditional one in which I am a member. For example, I was not even aware of hymns like Jesus I My Cross I Have Taken, Jesus I Come, For All the Saints, and Come Ye Disconsolate.

I find though in the later albums that most, if not all, of the hymns were unfamiliar to me previously. I had never heard any of the songs recorded on Wake Thy Slumbering Children and only two on Beams of Heaven. Nevertheless both albums are exceptional in quality and devotion. You certainly do not have to be familiar with them to be blessed by them.

You can order Indelible Grace CD’s online, located at igracemusic.com. In addition to purchasing wonderful CD’s, you can buy a hymn book that includes many of the songs recorded on the albums plus many more. The site includes many articles about hymn writers and the importance of hymns to the church.

Some of the musicians that make up Indelible Grace travel around the country. They play in different venues. They play at Seminaries, Conferences, Churches, and even in homes. You can find their schedule here.

Check them out and pass their work around. Invite them to your church. They are truly a blessing.

Building Bridges: Southern Baptists & Calvinism

The Building Bridges Conference was recently held at Ridgecrest November 26-28. Here were the speakers and topics:

Session - Calvinism and SBC Leadership: Key Findings and Evangelistic Implications; Nov. 26, 2007 By Ed Stetzer

Session - The Historical Record; Nov. 26, 2007 By David Dockery & Tom Nettles

Session - Calvinism: A Cause for Rejoicing, A Cause for Concern; Nov. 27, 2007 by Malcolm Yarnell & Jeff Noblit

Session - The Atonement: Its Design, Nature and Extent; Nov. 27, 2007 by Sam Waldron & David Nelson

Session - Theological Stereotypes: Let's Be Fair and Honest with Each Other; Nov. 27, 2007 by
Chuck Lawless & Nathan Finn

Session - Election and Calling: A Biblical/Theological Study; Nov. 27, 2007 by Ken Keathley & Greg Wealty

Worship Sessions - James Merritt, Albert Mohler, J.D. Greear, Steven Wade, Donald Whitney

Panel Part 1 (Akin, Finn, Yarnell, Ascol, Nelson, Keathley, & Welty)

Panel Part 2 (Akin, Finn, Yarnell, Ascol, Nelson, Keathley, & Welty)

Session - Working Together to Make Christ Known; Nov. 28, 2007 by Daniel Akin & Tom Ascol

The first speaker in the session is a non-Calvinist Southern Baptist and the second speaker is a Calvinist Southern Baptist. You can find the audio of this conference at three places. You can find it at Lifeway (with the exception of James Merritt, Albert Mohler, J.D. Greear, Steven Wade, and Donald Whitney messages). You can also find them at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Webpage (just scroll down). You also can find them on ITunes under Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, messages 47-67.

Karis Noel

Our baby doctor showing Naomi and I Karis just as she was delivered by C-Section.

A joyous daddy holding Karis for the first time in the operating room.

Grandma holding Karis while two sisters curiously look on.

We are just about to take baby Karis home from the hospital.

Baby Karis in the hospital.

Thanksgiving

I thank God for my beautiful family. The Morrison family expanded by another daughter. This past Monday, my wife gave birth to Karis Noel. Both are doing extremely well, and we are so thankful. Our other daughters, Lydia and Chloe are also adjusting well. We would like to thank all of you who were praying for our family during the pregnancy. God has answered so many prayers.

Mommy and Karis

Lydia and Karis

Daddy and Karis

Chloe and Karis